Adultery Law – The extra-marital affair is no longer a new phenomenon, especially in the modern society, it has become very common.
Although both men and women are married and make relationships out of their marriage, in this case, the law which is called the Adultery Law, only punishes the men and not women, this unjustified law has risen a great debate these days.
Critics of Adultery law often question that if a man can be punished for having an extramarital affair then why the law has no clauses for a married woman with an extramarital affair? On what grounds does this law let women unpunished?
Yes, the debate is about the fact that if a man makes a relationship with a married woman, without the permission of the husband of that woman, he is entitled to punishment, but the punishment is only for the man who has created such a relationship. The woman is kept free from crime.
In such a case, social activist Joseph Shine filed a petition in the court and said that either the woman along with the man should also be punished in the case of Section 497 of the IPC that means ‘adultery’. Because if the mistake has been made, it has been done with mutual consent then why are just men be guilty?
Why not a woman?
Otherwise, then this law should be abolished.
At this stage, the Supreme Court’s decision is yet to come, but the Central Government has made it clear that Section 497 cannot be eliminated, because doing so will cause the organization called Marriage to be in danger.
Now you know that why the debate has arisen in the court. So, let us tell you that what exactly the Adultery Law is?
What is the Adultery Law?
Under the Adultery Law, a man who makes a relationship with a married woman without the consent of her husband can be punished for five years. Actually, Section 497 of the IPC, which sets the definition of adultery, has the provision of punishment for men only. There is no action on women. Whereas women are also included in the Extra Marital Affair.
Petition against adultery law
Joseph Shine from Kerala filed a petition against this law and said that the 150-year-old law is insignificant in today’s era. This is the law of the time when the situation of women was very weak. Therefore, in the cases of adultery, that is, they were given the status of suffering, but today women are stronger than before. If they make their relationship with the other person, then the laws should not be directed only to those men, but actions should also be taken against women too, and not to do so is clearly against the right to equality.
The issue of Adultery law is very intriguing and it is also related to the rights of women. It is true that women also deceive their husbands, but the majority of them are men. In such a situation, everyone will take a look at what the court decides.
